With over 500 million blogs on the Internet, attracting readers to yours is an uphill battle. A medium that began as a hobby has become one of the most essential online marketing tools today.
That’s worth repeating, and remembering: it’s a “marketing tool.” The goal of a useful blog is not only to drive traffic to itself but to also generate leads and (hopefully) conversions.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your blog.
Tip #1: Find your niche
No matter what your business is, finding your niche is the first thing to do before writing posts- think about who’s going to be interested in your topic, what they’re like, and what’s going to motivate them to listen to you.
Once you’ve identified this niche, it’s time to create awesome Buyer Personas to better understand better who this audience is, and tailor your content to their needs.
Tip #2: Focus on quality, not quantity
For a long time, the marketing blog strategy has been “write, write and write.” Now, analytics have made it pretty clear that audiences have become more selective and focused- content quality is far more important. You don’t have to write every day; write once a week or every two weeks- decide this based on your results and research- but more importantly, focus on writing amazing, high-quality content.
There’s a glut of content on the Web. Focus on not repeating ideas already expressed thousands of times elsewhere, and instead offer meaningful, specific information- valuable content that people will actually want to read and share.
Also, remember that better content will bring you more social share and more backlinks; therefore, your blog post will rank higher on Google, which means better search results.
Tip #3: Be authentic
Being authentic means staying true to who you are, what your business does, and your audience.
As we mentioned in a previous post about 2019 digital marketing trends, the future of marketing is more transparent, authentic, and personal. Brands need to follow suit, in the tone and topics of their messaging. Authentic writing makes audiences relate to your business, turns readers into advocates, and builds your identity and image into influence.
Check this authenticity checklist to find fundamental approaches to implement in any business for a more authentic voice.
Tip #4: Tell stories
Our lives are a series of stories, and we’re always looking for new ones.
The best marketing copy is a story. Stories engage, excite, change minds- and sell. The personal connection we feel when hearing a story is backed by neuroscience. Information presented as a story is more memorable and involves us emotionally as well as intellectually: more areas of the brain are engaged when information is presented narratively rather than as a series of facts. Those areas of the brain are the same that become activated in real life social interactions; when you hear a story, much of your brain can’t tell the difference between hearing and experiencing it, becoming more emotionally attached as a result.
To tell stories that sell, use anecdotes to lead your reader into your content and help them understand the message.
Click here for more interesting facts on including stories into your writing.
Tip #5: Encourage conversations
Think of your blog as a communication channel. Encouraging conversations in your blog posts is a great way to create engagement with your audience.
As Neil Patel explains, a fantastic way to encourage conversations is to ask a question at the end of your post to invite your readers to leave comments.
Another strategy to encourage conversations is to write in a more conversational tone using the words “I” and “you.” Writing in this tone will make your audience feel more comfortable and encourage them to leave more comments.
Remember to respond promptly to your post’s comments to keep up with the conversation!
Tip #6: Add CTAs to your post
To get the most out of your blog, you need to include CTAs (calls-to-action) in your blog posts. Without a CTA, readers who could be interested in your products or services won’t know what to do next.
A CTA translates a message into purposeful behavior, and therefore generate leads and sales. Never forget that the purpose of content marketing is to present content that motivates action- in this case, becoming a lead or a sale. A CTA guides readers gently from their content experience to your products and services- or to even more content on your site, to learn more about you.
Wherever appropriate, never forget to use a CTA to allow readers to opt into your email marketing list- this is essential to building a useful database. As Neil Patel says, collecting emails is the most important thing. By doing so, you’ll be able to connect more directly to your leads, build a relationship, gain their trust and then sell your products and services.
Conclusion:
Writing unique, authentic and valuable content, encouraging conversations, and adding CTAs to move your audience through your website and your products and services, including collecting emails, will help your blog to be successful.
Was this overview valuable? Let us know! (See what we mean about creating conversations and including a CTA? ????)
At Motion Ave, we’re passionate about creating great content! If you recognize the value of quality blog posts for your business, we’d love to help you get the most out of your site. Whether you’d like us to share some tricks or create content just for you, say hello!
Sources:
Neil Patel – Does blogging still work in 2019? https://youtu.be/i4CY-XD6agM
https://www.theminimalists.com/blog/
https://www.softwarefindr.com/how-many-blogs-are-there/
https://neilpatel.com/blog/truth-will-out/
https://www.kinesisinc.com/the-power-of-storytelling-as-a-marketing-tool/
How To Get The Most Out Of Your Blog March 5th, 2019Ana Cristina
